The Division of Funeral, Cemetery,
and Consumer Services
Below you will find a brief background on the development, roles and intent of The Division and The Division’s Board
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On January 7, 2003, the Bureau of Funeral and Cemetery Services and the Board of Funeral and Cemetery Services moved to the Department of Financial Services to report to the Chief Financial Officer.
The 2004 Legislature initiated the regulatory consolidation of the death care industry in Senate Bill 528. The Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Funeral and Cemetery Services regulated cemeteries, pre-need merchandise/service contracts and related matters through Chapter 497, F.S. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation regulated funeral directing, embalming and direct disposition through Chapter 470, F.S. An appointed regulatory Board was maintained within each Department.
October 1, 2005, Chapter 470, F.S., was merged into Chapter 497, F.S., and all regulatory authority was transferred to the Department of Financial Services. The Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services was created to regulate the entire death care industry. The 2005 Legislature completed the regulatory consolidation of the death care industry with adjustments to the previous legislation in House Bills 529 and 1469. The Legislature created the Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services and revised Chapter 497, Florida Statutes. The following are the purposes and intent in forming the Division:
Protect the purchasers of pre-need burial rights; funeral or burial merchandise; or funeral or burial services from serious economic harm if money is not set aside for future use as intended.
- Provide administrative support to the Board of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services.
- Protect the purchasers of pre-need contracts by establishing minimum qualifications for entities selling pre-need contracts.
- Ensure cemetery grounds are properly maintained to avoid the public suffering emotional stress.
- Protect the interest of public health and safety by establishing minimum qualifications for entry into the professions and occupations of embalming, funeral directing, cremation and direct disposition.
- Ensure that minimum qualifications for the professions and occupations of embalming, funeral directing, cremations, direct disposition and pre-need merchandise and service sales are maintained by taking continuing education courses.
- Provide effective discipline for those practitioners who violate the law.
Within the Division, the Director, Assistant Director and Area Financial Manager have supervisory responsibility. In addition, the Director serves as the Executive Director of the Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services. The Division consists of 23 employees with the primary headquarters being located in Tallahassee at 200 East Gaines Street, Larson Building
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0361.
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Who We Regulate
